Range needs to consider its neighbors

Published: Friday, July 25, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 1:04 p.m.

People who shoot guns for fun, sport and training need shooting ranges to practice, and not all ranges can be indoors. Henderson County recognized that fact when it set conditions for how outdoor ranges should be built. Those rules will be tested by the newest controversy involving an outdoor range in Dana.

At 84 acres, the Flat Rock Shooting Range off Lane Road has enough land to meet setback and other requirements designed to maximize safety and minimize disturbance to neighbors. But neighbors are being disturbed nonetheless by an increase in shooting noise that started when the range began holding “3-Gun” competitions in the spring.

In 3-Gun matches, competitors move through a staged course, engaging targets from a variety of positions using a semi-automatic rifle, pistol and shotgun, staff writer Nathaniel Axtell explained in his article in Thursday’s Times-News. The shooter who hits the most targets, while avoiding certain “no shoot” ones, in the least amount of time wins.

This sounds like a lot of fun for shooters, but not so much for neighbors. They have complained to county regulators about the recent ramp up in gunfire noise.

A.J. Ball Jr., who lives in Oleta Falls and spent 33 years in the military, said, “It’s as loud and as intense as any qualification range that I’ve ever experienced. My house is probably a couple thousand meters away and it’s pretty obnoxious when you go outside. You can’t enjoy an evening on the deck with your family.”

County Zoning Administrator Toby Linville began investigating neighbors’ complaints in March. He determined that the range’s operators were advertising and holding the 3-Gun events without required approvals. He issued a cease-and-desist order on June 19 after he determined the 3-Gun matches were more than just casual competitions between small groups of friends.

That wasn’t hard to discover. The operators advertised online that 3-Gun matches would be held on the second Saturday of every month through 2014. Fliers indicated up to 255 rounds could be fired by each competitor who paid the $25 “match fee.”

Gun noise is part of living in the country, and rural residents are free to practice shooting on their land as long as they do so safely and respect neighbors. However, it makes sense for the county to regulate more intense shooting.

A few years ago, Edneyville and Dana residents fought off a plan by the N.C. Justice Academy to build an outdoor shooting range in the area, citing noise and safety concerns. It literally took an act of the N.C. Legislature to solve that controversy by authorizing an indoor shooting range that opened in 2011.

In this case, range owners are seeking a special-use permit and site plan approval before the county’s Technical Review Committee on Aug. 5. If the plan passes muster, the Zoning Board of Adjustment will hold a hearing Aug. 27.

It’s all part of the inevitable land-use conflicts that pop up in a growing county. In the end, many could be solved if folks would put themselves in their neighbors’ shoes. Range operators could do that by dialing back the intensity of shooting, and the noise.

<p>People who shoot guns for fun, sport and training need shooting ranges to practice, and not all ranges can be indoors. Henderson County recognized that fact when it set conditions for how outdoor ranges should be built. Those rules will be tested by the newest controversy involving an outdoor range in Dana.</p><p>At 84 acres, the Flat Rock Shooting Range off Lane Road has enough land to meet setback and other requirements designed to maximize safety and minimize disturbance to neighbors. But neighbors are being disturbed nonetheless by an increase in shooting noise that started when the range began holding “3-Gun” competitions in the spring.</p><p>In 3-Gun matches, competitors move through a staged course, engaging targets from a variety of positions using a semi-automatic rifle, pistol and shotgun, staff writer Nathaniel Axtell explained in his article in Thursday's Times-News. The shooter who hits the most targets, while avoiding certain “no shoot” ones, in the least amount of time wins.</p><p>This sounds like a lot of fun for shooters, but not so much for neighbors. They have complained to county regulators about the recent ramp up in gunfire noise.</p><p>A.J. Ball Jr., who lives in Oleta Falls and spent 33 years in the military, said, “It's as loud and as intense as any qualification range that I've ever experienced. My house is probably a couple thousand meters away and it's pretty obnoxious when you go outside. You can't enjoy an evening on the deck with your family.”</p><p>County Zoning Administrator Toby Linville began investigating neighbors' complaints in March. He determined that the range's operators were advertising and holding the 3-Gun events without required approvals. He issued a cease-and-desist order on June 19 after he determined the 3-Gun matches were more than just casual competitions between small groups of friends.</p><p>That wasn't hard to discover. The operators advertised online that 3-Gun matches would be held on the second Saturday of every month through 2014. Fliers indicated up to 255 rounds could be fired by each competitor who paid the $25 “match fee.”</p><p>Gun noise is part of living in the country, and rural residents are free to practice shooting on their land as long as they do so safely and respect neighbors. However, it makes sense for the county to regulate more intense shooting.</p><p>A few years ago, Edneyville and Dana residents fought off a plan by the N.C. Justice Academy to build an outdoor shooting range in the area, citing noise and safety concerns. It literally took an act of the N.C. Legislature to solve that controversy by authorizing an indoor shooting range that opened in 2011.</p><p>In this case, range owners are seeking a special-use permit and site plan approval before the county's Technical Review Committee on Aug. 5. If the plan passes muster, the Zoning Board of Adjustment will hold a hearing Aug. 27.</p><p>It's all part of the inevitable land-use conflicts that pop up in a growing county. In the end, many could be solved if folks would put themselves in their neighbors' shoes. Range operators could do that by dialing back the intensity of shooting, and the noise.</p>